


Marta's 2006 Birthday Cards

by HASA_Archivist



Category: The Lord of the Rings - J. R. R. Tolkien
Genre: Multi-Age, Other - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-04-18
Updated: 2006-07-03
Packaged: 2018-03-23 13:40:54
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 8
Words: 1,871
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3770381
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/HASA_Archivist/pseuds/HASA_Archivist
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>I want stories on quests and journeys. Give me your favourite character(s) getting ready to leave for a journey. Or wanting to take one. Or about to say good-bye to someone else who's about to leave. Or welcoming someone for the first time, after a long absence. Anything like that. I like my drabbles canon-based but a bit obscure, and if you can manage Harad and/or Doriath, I will be doubly pleased.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Forget us not - by Vilwarin

**Author's Note:**

> Note from the HASA Transition Team: This story was originally archived at [HASA](http://fanlore.org/wiki/Henneth_Ann%C3%BBn_Story_Archive), which closed in February 2015. To preserve the archive, we began manually importing its works to the AO3 as an Open Doors-approved project in February 2015. We posted announcements about the move, but may not have reached everyone. If you are (or know) this author, please contact The HASA Transition Team using the e-mail address on the [HASA collection profile](http://archiveofourown.org/collections/hasa/profile).

 

Aragorn looked around his uncle's house that had served as his home for the last five years one last time. He did not know how long he would be away _years, maybe even decades._ At this moment, he had no wish to see those far-off places he had been told about, but it seemed to be his fate that he always had to leave that behind, which had become familiar. 

He had already said his farewells and now there was nothing left to do that would prolong the inevitable.

Just as he was about to leave the house, Halbarad came up to him and pressed a parcel into his hands.

"Do not open it just yet, cousin, for it is something to cheer you up on the road." he pulled him into a fierce hug, then whispered, "Promise me that you will not forget us". 


	2. Hobbits and Husbands by Gandalfs apprentice

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I want stories on quests and journeys. Give me your favourite character(s) getting ready to leave for a journey. Or wanting to take one. Or about to say good-bye to someone else who's about to leave. Or welcoming someone for the first time, after a long absence. Anything like that. I like my drabbles canon-based but a bit obscure, and if you can manage Harad and/or Doriath, I will be doubly pleased.

Halbarad was writing an entry in the logbook when his son Thorbarad stuck his head in the door and said, "Aragorn is here."

Surprised, the chieftain's lieutenant looked up, removed the pipe from his mouth, and said, "Aragorn? So soon?"

"He said he must see you at once. He's stowing his gear. I told him where to find you."

"All right. Fetch some ale. He'll be thirsty."

"Right away, father."

He resumed writing, but was far from finished when the familiar long stride sounded in the hallway. Aragorn entered without knocking, sat down and began to prepare his pipe. His grey eyes were dark with worry and fatigue, his jaw set in a determination Halbarad knew well.

"I wasn't expecting you till at least next week," Halbarad said.

"A change of plans," the chieftain answered, pausing to draw on the pipe and get a good light on the weed. "I must be off again in the morning. I'll be heading across the mountains and expect to be gone through the spring at least."

"Across the mountains? Why, are you going back to Gondor to challenge Denethor in his bastion?"

"Nothing so easy," Aragorn quipped with a grim smile. "It's urgent, and I'm here only to give you orders. We've got to double the guard on the Shire immediately."

"Whatever for? We just increased it a few years back. Are the Hobbits plotting a rebellion?"

Aragorn shook his head. "I can't tell you the reason. It's on Gandalf's urging. Be prepared to sacrifice almost anything to accomplish this, save the basic defense of the Keep itself."

"It's no easy chore you give me," Halbarad exclaimed. "The Shire is the most peaceful spot in all Eriador. The men already grumble that we put too many of our forces there."

Aragorn raised his eyebrows. "Grumble? The usual complaining of cold and hungry men, or do they question my orders?"

To Halbarad's relief, Thorbarad came in then with the ale. Aragorn was silent while he served the mugs to the two men and then slipped out.

Halbarad took a long swallow. "Usual complaining at this point, I would say, but you know there will be questions. What danger does the Shire pose to anyone or anything?"

Grim amusement lit Aragorn's eyes. "I do appreciate that," he said. "Likewise, it is difficult to see why anyone—even Sauron—would seek to harm such innocent creatures. All the same, I can't tell you what Gandalf's reasons are. Suffice it to say that only Elrond and I know the full story, and it is the same business that takes me across the mountains. The less anyone else knows, the better off we are. My authority, and Gandalf's, ought to be sufficient in the men's eyes."

"All right," Halbarad sighed. "I will impress upon them that we are working on the 'need to know' principle."

"If I could, I would stay to speak to the captains myself. I know I'm asking a lot of you: to lead men in something you yourself cannot explain. But the lives of us all may now depend on the Rangers' vigilance."

The glint in his eye told Halbarad all he needed to know. A shiver of apprehension prickled up his spine. "I understand," he said. "What about you? Where are you going, and what will you be doing?"

"Hunting," Aragorn said. "Wherever the search takes me."

"You mean to go to Rivendell first, I assume."

"I've already been there," Aragorn said. "Tomorrow I head for the Redhorn Pass to meet Gandalf. He is taking council with Elrond as we speak."

"You stayed one night in the Valley?"

"Just so," he answered.

"Arwen must not have liked that."

"She didn't. But it's hardly the first time."

"And you are again going into great danger."

"No doubt," Aragorn agreed.

Halbarad shook his head. "That will displease the captains just as much as any guard on the Shire."

"I tire of these complaints."

"What do you expect, Aragorn? You're seventy years old. You have no sons, and you refuse to marry. Then you go walking into Mordor every other day. Shouldn't we be worried?"

"I don't refuse to marry."

Halbarad rolled his eyes. "Let me clarify. You refuse to marry anyone but Elrond's daughter, after you've been crowned King of Gondor and Arnor. Is that better?"

"Much better," said Aragorn.

Halbarad slammed his hand on the table. "Of all the pig-headed, impossible men—you know what I mean. The women will be griping again. At least all those eager to provide you with an heir, and their mothers."

"The sooner I leave, the better, then. I'm much more afraid of the women griping than the Rangers grumbling," he said. Only the gleam in his eye gave away his amusement.

"I suppose I would be too, if they chased me around the Keep like that. Soon they will take up hatchets to bring you down."

"And you wonder why I will marry only Arwen? Would you marry a woman who chased you with hatchets?"

"Somehow," Halbarad countered, "I don't think the absence of a hatchet is why you prefer Arwen."  
  


"You have me there," Aragorn said, smiling.

Halbarad snorted and resumed his log entry. Aragorn settled into his chair and smoked and drank in silence. In a few minutes Halbarad threw down his quill and rose to fetch a map off the huge rack on the wall. He spread it out on the table, weighting each corner with a polished rock. The Shire lay before them, roads marked in black, streams in blue, villages in pale red. _Hobbiton, Michel Delving, Buckland._

"Now," he began, "the main entry points are the road from Sarn Ford in the south, Brandywine Bridge from the east, and the Great East Road from the Tower Hills. Assuming we place the bulk of our forces at these spots, that leaves less traveled entries. What do you think about….."

By the time they had formed a plan, the pitcher of ale was dry.


	3. Walkabout Season - by Dwimordene

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I want stories on quests and journeys. Give me your favourite character(s) getting ready to leave for a journey. Or wanting to take one. Or about to say good-bye to someone else who's about to leave. Or welcoming someone for the first time, after a long absence. Anything like that. I like my drabbles canon-based but a bit obscure, and if you can manage Harad and/or Doriath, I will be doubly pleased.

Frodo is out wandering again. All Bag End is in boxes, in crates bound for Crickhollow. The old green door's new-painted, but the wizardly dent shows still. September's turning, has tilted already—the hours fall away toward revelation and farewells.  
  
Merry, stacking cupboards, putting pictures upon walls never meant to be long lived in, knows this. He counts coins, knows the price of ponies, measures meals, miles.  
  
For Frodo is leaving, and Merry's heart hammers in his chest. Fear, yes, but he's a Bucklander, too: walking the hobbit-ways of the Old Forest, he whistles, for the woods whisper of Outside...  
  


* * *

  
  
The 'wizardly dent' refers the dent Gandalf banged into the door when he knocked the thief-sign off of it in "The Hobbit."


	4. Journeys to Harad - Gwynnyd

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I want stories on quests and journeys. Give me your favourite character(s) getting ready to leave for a journey. Or wanting to take one. Or about to say good-bye to someone else who's about to leave. Or welcoming someone for the first time, after a long absence. Anything like that. I like my drabbles canon-based but a bit obscure, and if you can manage Harad and/or Doriath, I will be doubly pleased.

Returning to his room in Rivendell, Aragorn found Arwen hovering on her heels over the neatly laid out the contents of his pack.  
  
"Is this all you take?" she asked.  
  
As the pack had been filled and tied closed, he assumed the question was rhetorical.  
  
"Socks, fire kit, sewing supplies, whetstone, herbs, dried meat and fruit, cheese… it is not much for such a long journey."  
  
"I travel light, lady."  
  
She plucked a basket off the floor and shyly offered it.  "I thought you could use ointment for sunburned skin, lembas and miruvor. Is there room?"  
  
"For your gifts? Always."  
  
  
  
  
  
"Everything ready for the journey?"  
  
Hithdol, the king's majordomo, drew himself up and preened.  "Yes, Sire.  We leave at dawn: a hundred horse, a troop of infantry, the honor guard, three carriages for the Queen and her ladies.  The large campaign tent, the other tents, wagons with the bed and furnishings, the traveling bath." He waved a dismissive hand.  "Farriers, cooks, armourers, barbers, supplies… near two hundred servants and forty-seven wagons.  No trouble, sir. It will run as smoothly as ever."  
  
"I'm sure it will."  
  
The desert. A bath, a bed, and his lady.  It was good to be king.  
  



	5. Saying Farewell - by Imhiriel

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I want stories on quests and journeys. Give me your favourite character(s) getting ready to leave for a journey. Or wanting to take one. Or about to say good-bye to someone else who's about to leave. Or welcoming someone for the first time, after a long absence. Anything like that. I like my drabbles canon-based but a bit obscure, and if you can manage Harad and/or Doriath, I will be doubly pleased.

His armour was packed, ready to be taken to the ship: He and Eärwen had decided together, in long discussions, that he should lead his host to Middle-earth personally.

Finarfin turned to his wife and drew her in for a last, wordless embrace.

At length she whispered, her voice threatening to break, "Bring them back to me, please! Bring our children home!"

He had to blink a few times. "Eärwen, you know I can not promise..." He stopped, shook his head helplessly. "I will try to find them."

He dropped a kiss on her brow. Her lips.

Then he left.

~*~

Imhiriel


	6. The Fenced Land

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I want stories on quests and journeys. Give me your favourite character(s) getting ready to leave for a journey. Or wanting to take one. Or about to say good-bye to someone else who's about to leave. Or welcoming someone for the first time, after a long absence. Anything like that. I like my drabbles canon-based but a bit obscure, and if you can manage Harad and/or Doriath, I will be doubly pleased.

**The Fenced Land**

It was the longest journey of his life. Yet Beren never knew how many days it endured; he saw no sun or moon, only the unchanging dim twilight of magic. Pursued by snarling shadows, he stumbled through a ceaseless misery of sucking mire and grasping thorns. 

A twisted root toppled him headfirst to the ground. He lay waiting for death, until a whisper of air breathed against his cheek. When he lifted his head and saw the stars through dappled leaves, it was a deliverance almost as great as his first sight of Luthien dancing with flowers in her hair.


	7. No Small Journeys - by Vistula

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I want stories on quests and journeys. Give me your favourite character(s) getting ready to leave for a journey. Or wanting to take one. Or about to say good-bye to someone else who's about to leave. Or welcoming someone for the first time, after a long absence. Anything like that. I like my drabbles canon-based but a bit obscure, and if you can manage Harad and/or Doriath, I will be doubly pleased.

"Let's see. Fire lighin' stone, fresh han'kerchief, bits o' cheese, bread…"

Sam hovered over his knapsack stowing a bountiful cargo while ticking off items in his head.

"Water bottle. Needle 'n' thread. Couple o' candle stubs."

Brow furrowed with concentration, he weighed each item against available space and possible need. Some were discarded, only to be grabbed a moment later to fill a forgotten corner or pocket.

In the doorway an impatient figure loomed. "Get moving lad, we're walking to Tuckborough not them wilds of Harad Master Bilbo talks of!"

Hefting the brimming pack Samwise grinned finally satisfied.

"Coming da!"


	8. Sojourning - by Dwimordene

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I want stories on quests and journeys. Give me your favourite character(s) getting ready to leave for a journey. Or wanting to take one. Or about to say good-bye to someone else who's about to leave. Or welcoming someone for the first time, after a long absence. Anything like that. I like my drabbles canon-based but a bit obscure, and if you can manage Harad and/or Doriath, I will be doubly pleased.

Aragorn likes to jest that every journey ends in disappointment. The world does not repay imagination, forever violates its vision. For vision cannot imagine, say, the heat of Harad, nor the winter squalor of Bree, the muddy way up to Edoras. It loves to eclipse the existence of sunburn and blisters.  
  
Yet visions splintered on such pains grow light with time and lift the heaviness from facts. There’s something edifying in cold’s bitterness or the awful emptiness of Rohan’s plains—they are _real_ , they have touched and changed him, made vision a little clearer: journey’s end is but the beginning…


End file.
